


Psych You Out

by SereneSorrow



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Psych Fusion, M/M, Psychometry, ShinIchi Week 2019, Smut, Supernatural Elements, Touch-Starved, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-24 07:13:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17699948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SereneSorrow/pseuds/SereneSorrow
Summary: Detective Hirako Shinji investigates the murder of a man who was drained of blood. Unfortunately he suspects that the handsome stranger he met in a bar last night may have some connection to the crime.~You don't actually need to know anything about Psych to understand the story, but I did have to tag it of course, since I'm using some of the plot of a Psych episode.





	1. Shinji

**Author's Note:**

> ShinIchi Week 2019 Day 6 - Touch Starved  
> &  
> ShinIchi Week 2019 Day 7 - "Is That Blood?"  
> ~  
> So this is a fusion with the Live Action TV Show Psych, Season 6 Episode 3 'This Episode Sucks', specifically.  
> And if you don't know what Psych is then it's a really goofy crime solving show where the main character pretends to be a psychic.

     “I'll have what he's having.” A voice told the bartender as money was handed over his shoulder and Shinji cast a startled glance at a man with bright orange hair dressed in a tight fitting shirt and even tighter jeans. The man turned slowly, eyes locked onto Shinji's own and a small smile teased him as the man sat down on the stool next to him.

     “I hope you weren't waiting for anyone?” The man said, running one hand down Shinji's arm, bare fingers just grazing Shinji's wrist at the edge of his sleeve.

     It felt like electricity, that brief touch of skin.

     “Do ya' think I'm someone else?” Shinji asked, sure he would have remembered ever meeting someone with such a shocking hair color.

     The man's drink arrived and he proposed an unusual toast, “to the night” as he clinked their glasses together. The way the man's eyebrows lifted as he took a sip of the drink was so blatant, Shinji didn't think he'd ever been hit on so obviously in his life.

     “So what's your story, Shinji?” The stranger continued.

     “How do ya' know my name?” Shinji asked, setting his glass aside and ignoring it.

     “I asked you first.” The stranger said with a smirk and lowered eyelids. “So, want to tell me about yourself?”

     “Yeah... alright.” Shinji said after a moment, and then downing another sip of his drink before he turned his full attention on the stranger. “I work for the Gotei, that's why I come to this bar, after a stressful day and all. I was just reassigned from a team I'd been working with for a few years so I'm still getting used to Karakura, was transferred for disagreeing with my commander who used ta' be my subordinate before he got promoted over me.” Shinji said with a grimace at the memory of Aizen somehow using his connections with Central to advance so quickly. “That, is a very unusual necklace.” He said instead, an attempt at diverting his own attention more than the stranger's.

     The stranger's fingers traced the pendant as he spoke, “for all eternity” like a quote that held some personal meaning.

     “So what about you?” Shinji asked as his hand fell away from the strange circle shape.

     “Well, I'm single, and I really like a man with long hair. Honestly, I think I'm glad your subordinate was promoted if it brought you here to me.” The stranger said, leaning closer to stare into Shinji's eyes.

     “So how did ya' know my name? And why won't ya' tell me yours?” Shinji asked, suspiciously.

     “Why don't you hold that thought?” The stranger said as he glanced across the room at nothing Shinji could identify when he looked as well. “We're going to need more whisky.” The stranger said when their eyes locked again, running his fingers over Shinji's hand and stepping away from him.

     Shinji shivered unconsciously at the electric sensation that tingled over the back of his hand and watched the stranger cross the room until he was swallowed by the crowd.

***  
***

     Shinji arrived at the crime scene with a hangover. The stranger he'd met had disappeared and Shinji had spent the next hour drinking alone before going home to crash. He was in no mood to deal with his new team, especially Hiyori, but the shrimp zeroed in on his hangover right away and scowled at him.

     “You're late, baldy!” She shrieked from where she stood beside Love and Rose inside the crime scene tape.

     Shinji winced as the sound grated through his head and dreaded the day that was to follow. Clearly Hiyori was going to make this day miserable. Honestly, he wished she'd been promoted to lead her team after Muguruma had been transferred, his arrival had put him in her permanent bad graces it seemed.

     “You're never late! What happened?” Hiyori asked as they all ducked under the tape.

     Okay, maybe he was wrong about her opinion of him. _Did she really sound concerned?_ With a shake of his head that Shinji immediately regretted he decided to ignore her inquiry and just ducked under the crime scene tape to approach the dead body sprawled face down on the pavement of the parking lot. The rest of his team had already taken a look at the victim and the scene as much as they could without disturbing anything before his arrival, so Shinji went ahead and turned the man over as Hiyori described what she had observed so far.

     “Wallet was still on the victim, cash and credit cards still inside.” She said succinctly.

     “He's abnormally pale for only being dead a few hours.” Rose interjected as Shinji looked the man over.

     The victim had two puncture marks on his neck, large and ragged as though roughly torn, but it was like no animal bite Shinji had seen before even if the state of the wounds suggested animal attack. The same marks were on both of the man's wrists as well, on the inside just below his palms. Suddenly a glint of light caught Shinji's eye as the sun reflected off of something metal and right into his eye. _Ow_. That didn't help his hangover one bit.

     The victim's hand was clenched around whatever it was and Shinji pried the man's fingers open to get at whatever he was holding. It looked like jewelry, a necklace, now that he could see more of it. Shinji picked up the glittering chain and a pendant swung free, a pendant he recognized. A circle with a line slashed horizontally across the bottom. The necklace his stranger from last night had worn.

     Shinji froze as he stared at it, thinking back to the stranger that had seemed so interested in him before disappearing. Shinji had felt an unusual connection to the man, he wouldn't have stayed at the bar so long hoping the man would return if he hadn't, but seeing this necklace here like this had his gut churning in horror. _Had the stranger been using him in some way? How was Shinji connected to the body sprawled out before him? Were they connected at all?_ It was possible that the necklace belonged to someone else, _wasn't it?_ No, this couldn't be a coincidence, _but what was really going on?_

     “Puncture wounds, no blood, abnormally pale...” Love was muttering in the background.

     While Shinji was busy staring at the necklace and recalling the stranger's flirtation with him Rose and Love were exchanging theories, breaking him out of his thoughts finally was the one truly ridiculous:

     “It could be a vampire!” Declared by Rose dramatically and _loudly_. People were looking, great.

     Shinji really wished he didn't have a hangover right now.

***  
***

     Visiting the morgue was by far the oddest difference between Shinji's former division and Karakura, entirely because of the head coroner, Urahara Kisuke. The man dressed for another century and wore a bucket hat and geta everywhere, his sense of humor was disturbing and entirely out of place for a morgue, and his demeanor was completely ignorant of the environment in which he worked. Shinji had always observed a gravitas and decorum from those who worked in the morgues he had visited, but Kisuke blew that preconceived notion out of the water.

     When Shinji and his team entered the room it was to find Urahara twisting red balloons into odd shapes and sticking them together in some massive form that made no sense. The man looked over at them as the door swung shut.

     “What the hell is that monstrosity supposed to be?” Hiyori demanded as the man wandered over to join them.

     “Why, a model of the human body in balloon sculpture form!” Urahara said, as if that was something there was any call for.

     The man placed a few wrapped pieces of candy into Hiyori's hand, which was outstretched as she gestured wildly during one of her rants about useless nonsense and she was so shocked at the man's apparent obliviousness that it shut her up. Shinji thought she had a point but his hangover thanked the man.

     “So, your victim died of severe blood loss, he's just about empty. The punctures in the neck and wrists are where the blood was drained from but as for _what_ did the draining I can't say.” Urahara said while they observed the body on a slab between them.

     “Hey, Urahara, would you say this could be the work of a _vampire?_ ” Love asked, grinning at the continuation of the joke.

     Urahara blinked around at them while Hiyori buried her face in her hands at her team's idiocy. “~Oh, I suppose it does look like a vampire attack, doesn't it?” Urahara said with his head tilted, as though he was studying the corpse from a different angle in a new light.

     “It does not! There's no such thing as vampires!” Hiyori screeched, shoving the candy into one of her pockets and yanking a shoe off her foot to brandish at her partners who backed off as she advanced, still berating them.

     Shinji sighed and took a long drink from the bottle of water he'd picked up at his desk as he stood side by side with the strange coroner and watched things play out until Hiyori had settled down and the group rejoined them.

     “Can we stop talking about fictional monsters and consider real evidence now?” Shinji asked the room. His team nodded, some of them grudgingly, they really liked pulling pranks and telling jokes. Unfortunately Kisuke decided to interrupt the agreement.

     “Well, if you're really considering the 'vampire' angle, there is a club you might want to look into~” Kisuke piped up just as Shinji thought he'd be able to get down to some real police work.

     “What?” Hiyori demanded with a scowl.

     “What club?” Rose asked. So apparently they _weren't_ done with this theory.

     “I don't know, maybe Detective Hirako is right about vampires not being real~” Kisuke demurred.

     “If ya' aren't gonna give a real answer then don't talk in the first place ya' moron!” Hiyori yelled at him, reaching for her shoe again to throw at the man.

     “~Ah, it's called 'Bount'! I'll write down the directions for you.” Kisuke said as he hastily scrawled something on a scrap of paper pulled from a hidden pocket.

     Hiyori growled at him as she snatched the paper from his hand and turned away, hurrying the team out of the room, including a severely reluctant Shinji.

***  
***

     “This place is ridiculous!” Were Hiyori's first words as they entered the club.

     The name 'Bount' had been hidden by a layer of grime just above the door outside and the building had been nearly impossible to find but once they were inside the place was clean, if oddly decorated. It was dark, with red upholstered furniture and red drapes hanging everywhere, lit by an expensive number of candles. There weren't many people in the club, though it appeared as though the place didn't have anything like standard operating hours, and the patrons were dressed oddly in old fashioned clothes from more than one culture and time period. Perhaps that was why Urahara knew about the place.

     When they approached the bar Love made a joke of ordering Bloody Mary's from the bartender, a man with silver hair and what must have been contacts to turn his eyes red. The man had a sinister air about him that made Shinji nervous, the man smiled but it never reached his cold eyes.

     While Hiyori interrogated the man, named Kariya Jin who apparently owned the establishment, Shinji's mind wandered. The dim lighting eased the ache in his skull and seeing as the place apparently didn't believe in keeping time and didn't have a single clock on the wall Shinji glanced at the watch he always wore on his wrist to check the time.

     Staring at his watch Shinji had an idea suddenly, he exhaled heavily on the face of the timepiece and watched a thumbprint materialize. His stranger must have left it when the man had run his hand down his arm, or over his hand. With this evidence he could search the database at the precinct and find the man.

     Excitement welled up in his chest and Shinji tuned back into the end of Hiyori's dismissal of the frustratingly useless bartender. As they wandered outside again and the bright daylight pierced his eyes Shinji winced, but now armed with a plan of his own Shinji escaped the team hurriedly, excusing himself and waving off Hiyori's own suggestions much to her mounting fury.

***  
***

     He'd found a name: Kurosaki Ichigo, with an accompanying address, and followed it to a single story house in the outer edge of town. A place with a big yard and half a dozen trees. Honestly, as he swung the gate open Shinji felt kind of spooked. The trees had gone bare early and the wet leaves were scattered all over the tall grass, apparently no attempt had been made to clean them up. The windows in the house were dark, and Shinji couldn't tell if anyone was home but he approached the door warily anyway and knocked, not sure if he wanted an answer all of a sudden as a crow cawed loudly in one of the trees behind him.

     After a moment the heavy wooden door opened with a sinister groaning noise and a squeal of hinges to reveal the man he'd been searching for. “Ichigo.” He was dressed a bit differently, clothes a little looser. He wore shoes even in the house and a long sleeved sweater that had a high collar, as well as gloves that covered all of his hands leaving his head the only exposed skin.

     The man bit his lip and glanced down before meeting his eyes again. “How'd you get here?”

     “I'm in the Gotei, remember?” Shinji answered, passing over the printout Shinji had brought of Ichigo's information. He probably shouldn't but it wasn't like the man didn't already know all of the stuff on it, it was his own information after all.

     Ichigo glanced at it and nodded before passing it back for Shinji to fold and slip into a pocket. Ichigo stepped back and gestured for Shinji to enter the house, offering to hang up Shinji's coat even though he didn't ask for Shinji to remove his shoes. He agreed though, and passed Ichigo his coat, leaving him in just his button down shirt and tie. As Ichigo hung the coat in a closet next to the door Shinji wandered into the house and looked around the open rooms. They were cluttered, the mess almost as unkempt as the leaves outside. Empty cans and bottles littered the coffee table and game controllers were tossed aside on the rug. Jackets and shoes littered the place, obviously belonging to more than one person.

     “Ya' don't live alone.” Shinji observed, feeling a bit disappointed.

     “No, I have some roommates. Zangetsu, Tensa and Mugetsu. I know it's kind of a mess...” Ichigo trailed off, sliding his gloved hands into his pockets and lifting his shoulders defensively.

     “Ya' ever date any of 'em?” Shinji asked.

     “No.” Ichigo said defensively. “Are you interrogating me?”

     “Wish I weren't, but I need to know where the necklace ya' were wearing last night is.” Shinji insisted as Ichigo shifted uncomfortably.

     “It's in my room, I don't wear it all the time.” Ichigo answered.

     “I need ta' see it.” Shinji pressed and Ichigo's brows furrowed but he turned to the hall and let Shinji follow him to what he assumed was Ichigo's bedroom. The room was average size, space for a bed, dresser and bookshelf. Ichigo opened a rather large wooden jewelry box sitting on top of the dresser and pulled out the familiar necklace, much to Shinji's relief.

     So it wasn't Ichigo's necklace he'd found on a dead man, it really was a coincidence. Shinji felt nearly light headed at the revelation, his hangover entirely forgotten. He barely stopped to wonder how he could care so much about someone he'd only just met not even a full day ago. He was just so grateful that Ichigo wasn't a killer, that he might have really been interested in Shinji last night.

     “Why did ya' disappear last night?” He asked the red-head as the necklace was put away.

     Ichigo met his gaze with an almost desperate look, biting his lip briefly before he spoke. “I just... I haven't been with anyone in a while and... I _really_ liked you. I just lost my confidence...” Ichigo looked away with a light blush, his entire body folding in on itself a bit, the picture of dejection.

     “Well I really liked ya' too, I wish ya'd stuck around.” Shinji said, stepping closer to the shorter man who looked back up at him when Shinji invaded his personal space.

     “I'm sorry.” Ichigo whispered, raising a hand to grip Shinji's shoulder and pull him closer as Shinji leaned in to kiss him.

     Their lips brushed and Shinji felt the same electricity he'd felt when they'd touched at the bar. He deepened the kiss, running his tongue over Ichigo's teeth until the man opened his mouth wider and let their tongues tangle together, the same electricity turning into a faint buzz that seemed to surge through him where their flesh touched. _What was that feeling? Was it all in Shinji's imagination?_ It felt like it was really there but he didn't want to stop to contemplate it now.

     Shinji's arms slid around the smaller man, pulling him close until they were pressed tightly together, feeling every inch of the other man against himself. A warm body, trembling fingers running over his shoulders and neck and into his hair but not pulling on the strands, just carding through. Quickening breaths every time their mouths parted just a bit for more air. Shinji groaned as his eyes slipped shut and he unconsciously nudged Ichigo up against the dresser behind them, trapping the man in his hold. Ichigo didn't complain.

     One leg slipped between Ichigo's and his knee hit the dresser but he didn't care about the bruise that would probably give him when he felt the bulge in Ichigo's pants press against his leg. Ichigo moaned against his mouth as his hips twitched, rubbing against Shinji's leg instinctively. Shinji was hard too and with a quick twist he dragged Ichigo completely around until they tumbled onto the bed that had been at Shinji's back.

     Their lips disconnected in the fall but Shinji managed to keep himself from crushing the other man as he came down above him, legs bracketing the red-head's hips and Ichigo's hands gripping his arms. Ichigo was breathing harder than Shinji was and he looked a bit dazed as he stared up at the blonde.

     Shinji bent over him and kissed him deeply, tongue mapping the other man's mouth, Ichigo had seemed like an experienced flirt last night but Shinji had the feeling that he wasn't a very experienced kisser. It wasn't bad, just unpracticed, and Shinji didn't necessarily think that was a bad thing. _How many lovers had Ichigo had?_ No, Shinji didn't want to think about that now. Ichigo was with him now, that was what he cared about, this fascinating man that sent sparks racing through his body was here with him. Shinji was going to strip him and make love to him and no one else mattered right now.

     Ichigo moaned into the kiss and arched against him, hips seeking friction again as Shinji's hands wandered to the hem of his shirt and slid underneath to push the fabric upwards. He wanted to see that skin, touch it, caress every inch and see just how much of his imaginary electricity would spark between them. He could feel Ichigo shuddering beneath him as his fingers traced over his skin and Shinji marveled at how sensitive he was.

     Suddenly Ichigo's still gloved hands grabbed his own and dragged them away from the shirt, clenching hard around his fingers. “N-no, ah, t-too much-” Ichigo gasped against Shinji's lips. “Leave it on... please.”

     Shinji pulled back an inch to get a better look at his partner's face. The beginings of tears were forming in the corners of his eyes, not a sight he wanted to see, he didn't want to distress Ichigo. “That's fine, Ichi. We'll leave your shirt on, it's no problem.” He said consolingly, none of his fantasies were worth making Ichigo cry, he would never want anything _that_ way.

     Ichigo stared at him, blinking away the tears but still panting harshly. He nodded up at Shinji and pulled him closer again to resume the kiss, then directed Shinji's hands to the front of his pants, at least Shinji could do something about that, he thought as he undid Ichigo's belt and zipper. Dragging the other man's pants down and slipping them as well as his shoes and socks off Shinji ran his hands up the outside of Ichigo's legs as he crawled back on top of him and settled between his legs. Ichigo shuddered at the gentle touch the entire way but didn't protest, his hips stuttering in abortive jerks and his eyes wide as he made quiet inarticulate noises while he stared into Shinji's eyes.

     “Ya' haven't done any o' this in a while, huh?” Shinji asked, worried but aroused by the response. As long as Ichigo was okay with this it was okay that Shinji enjoyed it. As long as Ichi wanted this.

     “Hah~ I j-just, yeah, 'm not really close to anyone, not like this... just, don't usually-” Ichigo shuddered hard as Shinji's hand drifted nearer to his cock. “Ah- Shinji!” His hips bucked up as Shinji's hand wrapped around him and his thumb stroked over his hard flesh softly.

     They both froze when a voice drifted in from the hallway. “You should close the door when you're getting laid Ichigo.” Suddenly a bottle and a little packet landed next to them on the bed before the door was yanked shut firmly.

     Shinji had a hard time fighting down the embarrassed smile that longed to stretch across his face, not much succeeding in repressing the laughter that accompanied it. Ichigo's face had gone crimson as he stared wide eyed toward the now closed door.

     “Guess I should thank the roommate.” Shinji said teasingly as he picked up the bottle.

     “Zangetsu has the weirdest ideas about 'looking after me'.” Ichigo groaned, one gloved hand covering his face in embarrassment over the encounter as Shinji's fingers slipped inside him, properly slick to avoid pain. His legs fell open wider and his eyes rolled back as Shinji found the spot he was looking for with less effort than he'd been expecting.

     Shinji's eyebrows lifted at the sight and he felt himself become nearly painfully hard as Ichigo writhed on his fingers, quickly inserting another and trying not to rush in stretching him. No matter how badly he needed to be inside that body.

     “Please-Shi-nji-plea-” Ichigo gasped, reaching for him and Shinji couldn't wait. He undid his pants no more than he needed to in his rush, opened the packet and slid on the plastic and lined them up.

     He pushed in slowly, stopping every time Ichigo tensed up. It worried him, how much the man was shaking, but Ichigo pulled him down, kissed him, and then he relaxed and Shinji slid in all the way, making both of them groan at the feeling.

     Shinji moved slowly, every slide doing twice as much for Ichigo as it did for him. He could tell that Ichigo was close, in fact he was surprised that the smaller man hadn't come already, he was so hard, so sensitive, biting his lip so hard and clutching at Shinji's shoulders and back and writhing beneath him. If Ichigo hadn't reassured him Shinji would have mistaken it for _pain_ , but Ichigo kept pulling him down for kisses full of that electric touch and Shinji kept going, sticking to the slow pace because he was worried that Ichigo wouldn't be able to handle anything more than that.

     Even with himself fully clothed, and Ichigo still half dressed Shinji enjoyed this, how sensitive Ichigo was to every move he made, and despite how Shinji expected Ichigo to come at any moment the red-head held on until Shinji was nearly on the edge himself before a kiss, Shinji's hand on his cock, and a slightly off pace thrust had Ichigo shouting wordlessly and clamping down on him hard as his cock pulsed over and over with his release.

     It was reflex, instinct, that Shinji thrust harder and faster into Ichigo's even _more_ oversensitive body chasing his own completion and he would have fought himself to slow down if he hadn't heard Ichigo whisper “yes” in a ragged voice beside his ear but he had and soon he was coming, feeling Ichigo shudder again, a second, much too soon climax tearing through him dry as Shinji shook through his own release.

     He hoped that hadn't hurt, Ichigo was so sensitive already, if he'd hurt the other man-

     Gloved fingers threaded through his hair and pulled him down on top of his partner, still cradled between his shaking legs and Shinji blinked sleepily as he felt Ichigo relaxing, about to fall asleep despite the tremors still running through his body. Shinji should get up, clean them up, he should...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, i'm pretty sure the necklace Marlowe wears in this ep of Psych looks like an ankh with a pointed bottom line instead of a flat edge, and Ankh means 'life', but she says 'for all eternity' and apparently the Egyptian symbol for eternity is a Shen Ring which is a circle with a horizontal line across the bottom edge, so … no idea, so I just changed it to Ichigo wearing a Shen Ring though I only called it a 'strange circle shape'...


	2. Ichigo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ShinIchi Week 2019 Day 6 - Touch Starved  
> &  
> ShinIchi Week 2019 Day 7 - "Is That Blood?"  
> ~  
> So, chapter 3 is only just started being written, and it's the one that's REALLY for Day 7, was hoping to work on it the past few days but did NOT have time...  
> ~  
> WARNINGS (if you need them): then there are vague mentions of blood and crimes.

     The bar was crowded by the time Shiro picked someone out, he'd been scenting the air all night searching for someone with his preferred blood type. Ichigo was still nervous about his twin brother's decision to start feeding on his own again, especially since 'on his own' apparently included Ichigo in the process now, but Ichigo could agree that Shiro's bleached out appearance would certainly be more likely to put someone on edge than to entice them to follow him somewhere dark and secluded.

     Even so, Ichigo couldn't help recalling the agreement that they had with the rest of the vampires who had lived in Karakura for years before they had moved into the small city. Kariya had a lot of very specific rules about how not to draw attention from the mundane world and Ichigo knew that Shiro chafed at the restrictions but Ichigo couldn't help but like the idea of the rules. Shiro's needs had gotten them into so much trouble, ever since he'd first been turned into a vampire when they were fifteen and didn't know how to handle it. Kariya's rules as the most prominent vampire in the city had kept all of the vampires residing in Karakura safe and unrevealed for years, and Ichigo was tired of helping Shiro cover up the deaths, so few of them accidental that resulted from his feeding.

     Ever since they'd moved to Karakura a year ago Kariya's rules had restricted Shiro's 'hunting' to only when he had one of Kariya's closest companions to partner with him. Otherwise he was supposed to drink bagged blood from Bount, Kariya's bar that served the needs of many of the supernatural community in Karakura. Shiro had hated it from the start, but he'd played along, until now. Ichigo supposed that he'd been on his best behavior while he was 'on probation' for their first year in town and now that he was apparently trusted to follow the rules he was going to start breaking them. By now Ichigo supposed that he should be used to his brother's impulsive and contrary nature, which had only become more extreme since he'd become a member of the undead community.

     Shiro leaned against him, his chest to Ichigo's back so that he could whisper in Ichigo's ear. “There, see that blonde at the bar? The man who just came in.”

     Ichigo looked, the blonde was tall, probably a little taller than Ichigo. His hair was chin length and strait, and he was dressed in the sort casual suit that someone with a more professional day job wore. He was also rather attractive, Ichigo couldn't help but notice. Ichigo nodded in confirmation, his cheek brushing against Shiro's and sending Ichigo a flash of memory, something bloody about Shiro feeding. It made Ichigo glad he hadn't eaten in hours, sometimes even he couldn't take some of the things he knew his brother had done. He wished that he could touch his brother without seeing these things, he wished that he could touch anyone, but if he couldn't have that simple touch that everyone took for granted then he wished that he could at least touch his own _brother_ without seeing the things that he'd done.

     “Good, then hurry, I'm hungry.” Shiro said, giving him a small push towards the bar as Ichigo removed his gloves and passed them back to his brother.

***

     Ichigo caught the bartender's eye and passed a few dollars over his target's shoulder as he requested the same drink that the blonde was having. He caught the target's startled glance and then appraisal of his appearance out of the corner of his eye and turned to face him, locking eyes with the blonde. The man seemed to be just a few years older than Ichigo, and up close he was even more pleasant to look at and Ichigo couldn't help it but he was surprised by just how attracted he was to the blonde. Ichigo also couldn't help the small smile that pulled at his lips as he sat down on the empty stool next to the man.

     “I hope you weren't waiting for anyone?” Ichigo asked as he suppressed his nerves and steeled himself for what he would see before reaching out to the man and running one hand down his arm. When his fingers reached the hem of the man's sleeve he carefully ran just the tips of his fingers over the man's wrist hoping to catch just a surface memory and the information he needed.

     His psychometric powers were temperamental, Ichigo had never learned to control them properly because they were so strong. A researcher here in Karakura, who was fascinated with the supernatural world and yet was trusted by many of their kind despite his own mundane status, had been the one to propose that it was because of the strength of his powers that he was unable to control them. Urahara-san had been trying for months now to help him learn some way of blocking the visions that he received every time he touched anyone or any-thing but so far it had been useless.

     Luck was on his side tonight though, and all he saw was a small woman with pale blonde pigtails saying something rude to the man, to 'Shinji'. As he came out of the vision he barely caught Shinji's question about Ichigo mistaking him for someone else, and the arrival of Ichigo's drink was enough for Ichigo to ignore the man- _the target's_ question.

     It was habit for Ichigo to propose the usual toast that patrons of Bount usually intoned “to the night” as he brought his glass to Shinji's and lifted his eyebrows suggestively. It was a rather obvious way to go about drawing the man in, but with a guilty twinge Ichigo knew that it wouldn't matter what the man thought of him if Shiro killed him tonight.

     “So what's your story, Shinji?” Ichigo asked as he placed his drink on the bar. He had to remember not to drink too much on his empty stomach.

     “How do ya' know my name?” Shinji asked as he set his own glass aside to focus on Ichigo.

     Ichigo forced himself to smirk and lower his eyelids as he insisted that Shinji tell him about himself first and was rewarded by Shinji's reluctant but curious agreement. Ichigo was instantly alarmed when the man said that he worked for the Gotei, a special police unit, but he must have managed to cover his fear because the man continued speaking without giving any sign of noticing Ichigo's discomfort.

     Ichigo was a bit startled by the man's attention on his necklace. The Shen Ring pendant that Shiro had gotten for the both of them, a matching pair, was something that he wore frequently when Shiro asked him for favors that were difficult for Ichigo. Like tonight. It always helped remind Ichigo of why he helped Shiro even when it meant doing things that Ichigo thought were wrong. They were brothers, family, Ichigo couldn't lose Shiro. Never. For so long the only thing they'd truly been able to count on was each other, and Ichigo had almost lost Shiro once. He couldn't go through that again, no matter how becoming a vampire had changed his brother, not just in physical appearance but in personality and temperament.

     His fingers traced the pendant, ignoring the by now familiar flashes of the metal's history as he remembered when Shiro had given it to him and explained it's meaning, “for all eternity” was what they often said to each other in desperate moments or when they argued strongly. It always brought them back to each other, and back to themselves.

     As he dropped his hand from the necklace Shinji again asked for information about Ichigo himself. Ichigo immediately switched back into his attempt at seduction. It wasn't hard, he was enjoying the blonde's company, it was harder to remember that he was doing this to feed Shiro. That he might be leading this man to his _death_ tonight. No, he couldn't think about that, he had to do this.

     “Well, I'm single, and I really like a man with long hair. Honestly, I think I'm _glad_ your subordinate was promoted if it brought you here to me.” He said as he leaned closer to stare into his target's eyes.

     “So how did ya' know my name? And why won't ya' tell me yours?” His target asked suspiciously, and oh, Ichigo wanted to tell him. He did, he wanted this to be real, to be for him and not for Shiro. _Why couldn't he have this one?_ Why couldn't Shiro just follow Kariya's rules and let Ichigo _try-_

     As if answering Ichigo's wistful thoughts he caught sight of Ryo and Mabashi, dragging Shiro towards the exit while Shiro looked quietly furious but thankfully wasn't making a scene. “Why don't you hold that thought?” Ichigo told Shinji. He couldn't just let Shiro get into trouble without him, he'd gone along with this after all.

     “We're going to need more whisky.” Ichigo offered the man, hoping that he could catch the other vampires before they dragged Shiro all the way back to Bount and Kariya and offer his own explanation. Maybe he could straiten everything out and come back, learn more about Shinji or at least offer his own name to the man. Maybe he could really have a chance.

     Tentatively and with reservations he ran his fingers over the back of Shinji's hand before he stepped away, trying to force down the vision of himself through Shinji's eyes. The man was _interested_ , in _him_. Ichigo forced himself not to look back as he crossed the room and made sure he was lost from Shinji's sight in the crowd before he left the building. He didn't want Shinji to think he was leaving because he was uninterested, but once he got outside he realized that Ryo must have brought his car, because the three were nowhere nearby. If he wanted to defend Shiro from Kariya's anger over rule breaking then he would have to leave, and he couldn't go back and explain to Shinji, anything he said would sound like a brush off. Ichigo bit his lip and fingered his necklace again, but he already knew what decision he would make. _For all eternity._

***  
***

     The next day Ichigo answered the door to it's usual groan and noted that someone would need to oil the hinges soon before that squeal got too annoying. The sight that greeted him shocked him speechless. Shinji, the man he'd met and left in the bar last night, was standing on the doorstep. Same style of suit, though he looked tired, and maybe like he had a hangover.

     “Ichigo.” The man said simply, and Ichigo couldn't help feeling immeasurably guilty for disappearing from the bar, especially since after he'd walked all the way to Bount he'd learned that Shiro hadn't been there all night. Kariya had no idea where Ryo and Mabashi were and Ichigo was left worrying about where his brother was and what he was doing all night. Ichigo bit his lip and glanced down at his shoes briefly before asking how Shinji had found him.

     “I'm in the Gotei, remember?” Shinji answered, passing over a single sheet of paper that Ichigo saw was a printout of information about Ichigo. Name, address, a bit of job history. Even a mention of his brother, Kurosaki Kyoho – deceased. Ichigo hated that part, the official story of his twin's death, complete with falsified death certificate. The last thing their father had ever done for them before he'd kicked Shiro out of the house for being what he was and Ichigo had left with him, unable to bare losing his twin.

     Ichigo nodded, not sure what he was confirming, before passing the page back to Shinji, who folded it and slipped it into a pocket. He gestured for Shinji to come in and closed the door behind him, taking Shinji's coat to hang in the closet as the man looked around. Ichigo knew the place was a mess, none of his roommates really liked to clean and Ichigo hated all of the memories he picked up from touching every piece of trash so he just let it all pile up until one of the others couldn't stand it anymore and finally cleaned.

     “Ya' don't live alone.” Shinji observed, _and did he sound a bit disappointed?_

     “No, I have some roommates. Zangetsu, Tensa and Mugetsu. I know it's kind of a mess...” Ichigo trailed off, sliding his gloved hands into his pockets and lifting his shoulders defensively. He wished one of the others had cleaned up already, he didn't think he wanted Shinji to think he was a complete slob.

     “Ya' ever date any of 'em?” Shinji asked, and Ichigo had a moment to wonder if Shinji was jealous, but he remembered the printout and Shinji reiterating that he worked for the Gotei and he started worrying. Shiro still hadn't come home yet...

     “No.” Ichigo said defensively. “Are you interrogating me?” He was surprised by Shinji's question about his necklace, but Ichigo answered honestly and led Shinji to his room when the man insisted on seeing the piece of jewelry.

     At least his bedroom was clean. Ichigo didn't like to keep many possessions, with the way his psychometric powers always showed him who had handled things last and who had made them and where they had come from he just couldn't stand the barrage of memories every time he brushed against a piece of furniture or fabric.

     He pulled the necklace out of the box Shiro had made for him so that the memories he pulled from it would at least be of his family and offered it to Shinji. The man looked relieved to see it, _but why? What was Ichigo missing here?_

     “Why did ya' disappear last night?” He asked as Ichigo put the necklace away again and closed the box.

     Ichigo chewed on his lip while he tried to think of what to say. He couldn't tell the man that he'd been futilely chasing after his brother to keep him out of trouble. Ichigo had seen nothing to indicate that Shinji knew a damn thing about the supernatural world so he couldn't talk about going to Bount or anything even close to what he'd really been doing last night. There was something else he could say though, without being truly dishonest, and Ichigo found that he didn't _want_ to lie to Shinji.

     “I just... I haven't been with anyone in a while and... I _really_ liked you. I just lost my confidence...” Ichigo looked away when he felt his face color with a light blush and his shoulders slumped dejectedly. It was true. He had enjoyed talking to Shinji so much that he hadn't wanted Shiro to feed on the man. He wanted... He wanted to _date_ Shinji. Kami, he hadn't _dated_ since he was a teenager and still thought that he would be able to control his power someday.

     “Well I really liked ya' too, I wish ya'd stuck around.” Shinji said, stepping closer to Ichigo, closer than Ichigo was usually comfortable with from anyone but his brother because of his power. Shinji really was taller than Ichigo, not by much but Ichigo did have to look up to meet his eyes. The look in them was warm and interested and Ichigo couldn't help the surge of want that coursed through his entire body at Shinji's proximity.

     “I'm sorry.” Ichigo whispered, and when Shinji leaned in to kiss him Ichigo raised a hand to grip Shinji's shoulder and pull him closer.

     When their lips brushed Ichigo saw a flash of Shinji drinking alone in the bar after Ichigo had disappeared the night before but he was brought out of the vision when the kiss deepened and Shinji's tongue ran over his teeth making Ichigo open his mouth wider almost immediately. It had been so long since he'd tried this, but he let their tongues tangle together even as he saw Shinji kissing another man, who looked nothing like Ichigo.

     Trying to ignore the visions while Shinji's arms slid around him over his sweater and pulled him close Ichigo tried to focus on the feeling of their bodies pressed tightly together, the firm body against him and the warmth that seeped through fabric. His fingers trembled even with his gloves protecting him from Shinji's skin and he tried to hold them steady when he ran them over Shinji's shoulders and reached to slide them through the man's long hair. A strand brushed against his cheek and Ichigo saw the salon where Shinji had gotten his hair trimmed not long ago but he didn't break the kiss. He didn't want to stop. He distantly heard Shinji groan and then Ichigo felt his dresser against his back, Shinji nearly trapping him between his own body and the furniture and Ichigo found that he had no complaints. The furniture was still on the other side of his clothing and Shinji's body was so wonderful pressed against him so hard, Shinji really wanted him.

     One of Shinji's legs slipped between Ichigo's own and Ichigo moaned when Shinji let Ichigo rub his desperately hard cock against Shinji's firm thigh. Suddenly the world shifted and the visions cleared as their lips disconnected. Ichigo found himself falling backwards onto his bed with Shinji on top of him. Shinji's legs bracketed Ichigo's hips and his hands were on either side of Ichigo's head and Ichigo couldn't help but grip Shinji's arms tightly. He was breathing harder than Shinji was but he _knew_ that it had been far longer since he had been in a situation like this than Shinji had.

     He couldn't help feeling dazed, a buzzing feeling all over his skin from even just kissing Shinji, just touching while still clothed. He could only stare at Shinji as the man leaned down and kissed him again, tongue tracing inside his mouth as if to memorize every corner and Ichigo had to force himself to keep his eyes open to avoid getting swept away in memories of Shinji kissing _-touching-sleeping_ with others.

     Ichigo moaned into the kiss and arched, wanting to feel Shinji's body against him again, wanting friction. Suddenly he felt Shinji's bare hands slide under his sweater and Ichigo felt like he was drowning in cold water. He saw a corpse as Shinji turned it over, blood staining a gunshot wound while Shinji catalogued the damage. Then he was seeing a bloody knife that had been plunged into a husband's chest, a hammer that had crushed a woman's skull, a man being dragged away in handcuffs still yelling at a sobbing woman while a body bag was carried away in the background... _so much-too much-too much-_

     Ichigo couldn't hold back a shudder at the onslaught of horrible memories and desperately he tried to wrench his mind away from the visions. Finally he managed to get his body working and his gloved- _protected-safe-_ hands took hold of Shinji's bare hands and dragged them away from his skin.

     “N-no, ah, t-too much-” Ichigo gasped desperately against Shinji's lips. He couldn't do this, he couldn't let Shinji touch him like that, he didn't want to see. “Leave it on... _please_.” He begged.

     Shinji pulled back from the kiss and Ichigo knew that this was over. Shinji was going to _leave_ , Shinji wouldn't want to do this, Shinji wouldn't- _couldn't-_ understand-

     Ichigo knew he was going to cry, he hated how sensitive he was, that he could still be reduced to tears like a child when the memories came on too strong. _What could he say?_ How could he stop Shinji from thinking there was something _wrong_ with him-

     “That's fine, Ichi.” Shinji said softly and Ichigo's racing thoughts froze in shock. “We'll leave your shirt on, it's no problem.”

_What?_

_It was okay?_

_Shinji wasn't going to-to- leave?_

     Ichigo stared up at the blonde, blinking away the tears that had started to form and panting harshly in fear. Before Shinji could change his mind he pulled the blonde down again to kiss him, keep him distracted, keep him _here_. He took Shinji's hands again and led them down to his pants instead, hopefully- _hopefully_ \- Ichigo could handle this.

_Please let him be able to handle this._

     As Shinji's hands ran up his bare skin Ichigo trembled through visions of meeting people for the first time and meals with co-workers and _more dead bodies-_ but the feeling of Shinji's hands on him was still there underneath it all and Ichigo liked it, and then the feeling of Shinji's fabric covered legs between his own settled him and he stared into Shinji's eyes when the man spoke.

     “Ya' haven't done any o' this in a while, huh?” Shinji was worried, Ichigo could tell, Ichigo had to say something. Shinji might stop if he didn't.

     “Hah~ I j-just, yeah, 'm not really close to anyone, not like this... just, don't usually-” Ichigo babbled before he felt Shinji's hand drift toward his cock. He didn't know what he was saying anymore, not once Shinji touched him, stroked him. Ichigo desperately held onto the feeling of skin on skin under the memories of Shinji's past lovers and the mundane everyday of his life and his gruesome work.

     Suddenly a voice interrupted from the doorway and Ichigo was mortified by Zangetsu's words. “You should close the door when you're getting laid Ichigo.” The air spirit deftly tossed something into the room at them before he yanked the door shut on them. Ichigo stared at where the older man had been standing and felt his already heated face flame bright red.

     “Guess I should thank the roommate.” Shinji said teasingly as he picked up the bottle that Zangetsu had given them. _Oh come on._

     “Zangetsu has the weirdest ideas about 'looking after me'.” Ichigo groaned, raising one gloved hand to cover his face. The older air spirit was always teaching him one lesson or another but this was too embarrassing. Hopefully the stoic man wouldn't tell anyone else about this.

     Ichigo lost his train of thought as Shinji's fingers slipped inside him, a vision of a factory where little plastic bottles were filled by the millions by a machine was not enough to distract him from the feeling of Shinji inside him. His legs fell open wider and his eyes rolled back as Shinji easily found just the right place to touch him.

     Ichigo writhed at the sensation each time another finger entered him and he couldn't help pleading when he reached for the man touching him. “Please-Shi-nji-plea-”

     Ichigo didn't even have to ask, somehow Shinji just understood and didn't even take his pants off, barely even opened them enough to free himself before his cock was entering Ichigo's body. He moved slowly, and the memories of the plastic's origins made Ichigo want to cry, _why couldn't he just feel this! Why did he have to be like this! Why couldn't he just-_

     Memories about factories shuffled between memories of death and paperwork and made Ichigo tense at every dramatic shift until Ichigo's whole body was shaking, but Shinji was inside him, and Ichigo had to kiss Shinji again. Finally the man slid all the way into him and they both groaned.

     He could feel that Shinji was moving slowly but what little of their skin was touching was enough for Ichigo to feel what the blonde felt too. Kami, it was like he was feeling both sides of this, fucking and getting fucked and Ichigo could barely sort out the sensations. Ichigo was so hard it hurt and he had to dig his fingers into Shinji's shoulders just to ground himself. If he spoke, or made a sound he couldn't tell, he just didn't want to _stop_. He kissed Shinji again and again as they moved against each other, doing his best to ignore the visions and just feel Shinji's touch even when he could barely see the here and now for the barrage of memories.

     Ichigo couldn't tell what did it, what pushed him over the edge. He didn't even notice at first, there was just too much, but he felt Shinji move faster and suddenly the visions were gone. The world cleared and all Ichigo could see was Shinji moving above him and all he could feel was Shinji's hard cock sliding in and out of him over his skin, so sensitive that Ichigo felt like he was still coming.

     With a gasp Ichigo whispered “yes” raggedly as Shinji's hair brushed his cheek and yet all he could see was the room around him, _yes_. Shinji came and he could feel it, he felt Shinji's pleasure but _distantly_ , like an _outsider_. Shaking hard Ichigo came again, it _hurt_ , but it felt so good too. He could feel it so clearly and nothing else. No visions or memories of any kind.

     Ichigo was too shocked to think about what had happened. He ran his gloved _-and did he even need the gloves right now?-_ fingers through Shinji's hair again and pulled him down until the man relaxed on top of him. He didn't want to move, he didn't want Shinji to leave, he didn't want this _moment_ to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided that in this AU world vampires at least, if not any other supernatural creatures, take on new names after becoming vampires, (so the Bount's canon names are fake names they took after being turned into vampires) so Shiro is Shiro because of his appearance and he apparently has the same bad naming ability as Ichigo. Also, because 'Shiro'(White) doesn't fit with the Strawberry/Quince(Pear)/Lemon pattern (although apparently there's also a stew from Ethiopia called 'Shiro'?), but it was more difficult than I thought to look up 'Japanese fruit names' and similar search questions, so I picked Kyoho which is supposedly a dark purple grape with thick skin that is usually pealed and can grow as large as a plum. If it's more of a girls name or not at all a person name then too bad I guess... because my other choices were Ringo(Apple), Mikan(Mandarin Orange) which sounds more like Ichigo, and Suika(Watermelon) which is apparently a female character from something called 'Touhou Suimusou/Immaterial and Missing Power'... so I did my best, if you know of a better Japanese fruit name for Shiro let me know...


End file.
